Alto, an on-demand rides startup launches in Dallas

Alto, a new Dallas-based on-demand rides service has launched in Dallas. It is primarily focused on safety and hospitality.

Alto employs its drivers and manages a dedicated fleet. The service is a members-only experience. Alto members control the in-car experience, A.K.A. the “vibe” — from the music to climate.

“I'm really excited about the potential to disrupt the disruptors in mobility,” says CEO Will Coleman. “People often ask us how we're different, and it's simple. It boils down to two things: safety and hospitality.”

Alto's end-to-end experience is built on delivering safety and hospitality. Employee drivers are rigorously vetted, trained and performance-managed. The company manages its own fleet of new, 5-star crash rated SUVs, which they clean and maintain daily.

Alto's app enables customers and drivers to control their experience. With a touch of the app, the Alto car lights up for easy identification as a member approaches. To protect drivers, the app notifies the driver when their passenger is in range, so drivers can unlock their doors only for their customer.

“When you look at the statistics, there's a glaring gap. Women are not inclined to use on-demand rides right now due to safety concerns. This is why we're building Alto - so that women can feel safe and empowered to take advantage of ridesharing. We want them to have a high-quality, customised experience,” says Chief Customer Officer Alexandra Halbardier.

Alto enters the market with $14.5 million from two rounds of funding. Alto has several investment partners, like Road Ventures and Frog Ventures, who designed Alto's in-car experience and app. Alto will initiate another fundraising round this spring in order to fuel growth and expansion.

Alto plans to expand to more cities in 2019 and reach the national level by 2020.